Finding Happiness After Love Dies

After I married Laura I decided to stay in the reserves but curtail my acceptance of short duty tours. I had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel just before we married. I was happy to stay closer to home and enjoy my little slice of heaven on the river and my new family. I was happy once again and this time I was not going to let apathy kill my marriage. Laura and I have promised to communicate our feelings, wants and needs to each other. I just hope we neither one develop interests the other cannot share as Beulah and I had done. Time will tell.

Now that I am a 'farmer' (I bought the land next to my farm that Roger had wanted and let him and Aaron farm it. I help Roger and Aaron from time to time when they need another machine operator) I get along even better with the guys at the local café. Most weeks I go to coffee with my in laws in Steelville at least two mornings. I still prefer to have coffee with Laura beside my river in warm weather. In the winter I go to town almost every morning and visit with the 'gang'. Sometimes the women stay at one house or the other and visit, other times they join us. I have made many friends in town and the surrounding area.

The years have flown by and this evening Jeff, Charlie, our wives and myself are sitting alongside the riverbank at Jeff's home. I was deep into my old standby Glenmorangie. We were all enjoying our favorite drinks and listening to our children splash and play in Jeff's 'ole swimmin' hole'. Of course us three men were surreptitiously admiring each other's beautiful wives. I would absolutely HATE to try and decide which one of them is the most beautiful.

I know which one of them I loved the most and wanted to be with all my life but, truth to tell we each felt just a smidgen of love for the other's spouse. Over the years as our children grew and went to their school activities we grew much closer together. Of course our shared job from the reserves helped pull us together too.

Connie and Ronnie were ten years old now and quite a handful. Since we were at Jeff's place he held the title of chief BBQ chef. The women, of course, had prepared the balance of the meal so Charlie and I just sat and did our jobs—you know, made smart ass comments, admired the women and generally acted as lumps in the chairs.

Laura walked past my chair coming back from delivering a round of drinks to us all. I carefully sat my drink on the ground and grabbed her. She screamed and fell into my lap as she had for many years past. I pulled her to me and gave her a deep soul-searing kiss. I felt her relax against my chest and I wrapped my arms around her. After a good hug I let my outside arm slide down over her hips and I pulled my hand back to gently rub her thigh where her swimsuit met her leg.

I smiled into her eyes as I felt her legs spread just slightly so I could gently caress her pussy. A pussy I knew was just slightly wet from her arousal. I read the promise in her eyes for later that evening. I gave her a gentle kiss then turned to the other four adults watching us. I said, "This woman is my life, my salvation. You all know how messed up I was when Beulah and I divorced. It has been eleven years today since we married and I want you to know they have all been better than even the best year I spent with Beulah."

I watched Laura blush and I pulled her to me for a deep kiss. I was just beginning to let her go when I heard, "EWWWW DAAAAAD! Can't you wait until you get home?"

Laura pulled away from me and turned to face the children. They had all come up to the picnic area from the swimming hole because they knew it was almost suppertime. She smiled at them and I watched the warm glow come into her eyes and over her face. She began talking. She said, "Kids you've all seen your father and I kiss before. I love him dearly as he does me and I will never deny him his kisses if he wants them. There is absolutely NOTHING I will not do for this man and you know that. Now you be quiet until supper is ready."

As the children filed past us we adults looked at each other. Amanda spoke first. She said, "Laura that is just the way I feel about Charlie and I am sure Abigail feels the same about Jeff. You expressed it beautifully. I am sure we all feel we have the perfect man for each of us and there is Nothing I won't do for Charlie either. You go girl."

Of course there were many other memorable days and events but where do you stop in your story? As you can tell from this little incident, Jeff and Charlie Fielding and their clan have become closer to us. Laura and I along with our children spend many happy hours at the Fielding's resort or one of the boy's homes. Jeff, Charlie and our wives as well as I also have another tie because all three of us men are in the Reserves and we are of similar rank.

The years continue to march past. It has been almost ten years since I last updated this diary. I had completely forgotten it until I began cleaning up my office this morning. I have been getting things straightened up so I can send some of my older computer hardware to college with my two children. Connie and Ronnie graduated from high school last May. Laura and I were so proud of them. Connie was Valedictorian and Ronnie Salutatorian of their graduating class. They have elected to attend college at my old alma mater only forty miles away but they want the whole experience. Laura and I have agreed to let them live off campus in an apartment we have rented for them to share.

We hope with them living together there will be less tendency to have their significant others sleep over. Oh, we know if they want to sleep over or sleep with their current love they will. We have given them all the advice and information we can on subjects dealing with love and sex. Perhaps our best instruction was the way we lived our lives. We loved greatly, displayed it publicly and acted discretely. Children learn by example as well as by classroom and life experience so I feel we have done well. We trust our children to do what is right but...young hormones are very powerful things ya know!

Laura and I have only grown closer over the years. We never fell into the trap of taking the other for granted and we never developed the interests that damage so many marriages. I can count on my hands and toes the number of times we spent more than a few hours apart during our marriage other than my time away for the reserves. Many of our acquaintances are horrified by the fact we are always together. They seem to feel (depending on who is talking to their friends) that one or the other of us is too clinging, almost insecure, but that is the way we like it. We are one. we have the same interests, the same loves and we are best friends.

We both enjoy the same things and above all we enjoy each other's company to the exclusion of others. Oh, sure we each have our own friends but they are usually a member of a couple and we visit them jointly or in each other's home individually for short periods of time. Whatever, our love and our way of living works for us so we ignore our friends and acquaintances when they try to convince us we need some time away from our spouse. Neither of us needs or wants a 'girl's nite or boy's nite out'.

Jeff, Charlie and I have all retired from the reserves as I write this and I will begin receiving my pension early next year. I retired as a Brigadier General, Jeff retired as a Major General and Charlie as a Colonel. It took me way too long to 'man up' during and just after my first marriage but I am forever thankful Laura decided she wanted me and made her moves on me. I was so fucked up when we met I probably would have never asked her out if she hadn't just forced herself into my life. I am so happy she persevered until I realized she was the best thing that had ever happened to me and took advantage of her offers.

I have to go now. The kids are gone for the evening and I see my lover waiting for me beside the river. The sun is just dropping behind the trees and the danger of the last canoe has passed. My beautiful Laura is in my favorite outfit and I have to get into mine. I can hear her begging me to join her as I take in the most beautiful sight on this small farm, perhaps the world. Laura has lay down on some lawn chair cushions, feet toward me, knees bent and splayed out in only her birthday suit. As I watch the fingers from one hand are gently caressing her clit and the other is gently pulling on a nipple. As the saying goes, heaven awaits. I must hurry to keep my appointment in heaven.